A rant for your enjoyment....

tod osier

tod osier

Well-known member
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OK, I'm an asshole, everyone already knows that that so here goes....

I decided a couple years back I need to try a good pair of boots before I get too old and broken down. I decided to get a pair of Russel Moccasins custom fit to me for upland hunting. After a couple years of false starts, this summer I was in WI and dropped the shop by to get measured and the boots ordered. I'm totally embarassed that I'd pay what I did for a custom pair of boots, but I always have trouble getting a pair of boots to fit off the shelf and heck I deserve it :). Anyway, get measured, talk over the options, place an order. Boots are supposed to arrive 20 weeks later - mid-November.

Boots arrive mid-December a month after they said, but hey these are custom boots - can't rush quality. Try boots on - they don't fit with the insoles that they suggested I use and they are huge, like clown boots . Call them up - hmmm - Boss man says that there is no note of needing to accomodate for insoles in the file, but I check the receipt there is a $15.00 charge for "Special work" which the boss says would be the price to modify to accept the insoles that they suggested and I requested no other special work. Soooo, he says send them back, obviously the charge for special work means that the guy who took the order made sure to charge me, but not actually fully complete the work order - perfect... Boss man says new boots will be made and rushed and in hand by mid-Feb and he would call me to confirm the order after he got the boots back in hand.

So now that it is mid-March and I have not heard anything from them - guess what is on my door step? Yea! My new boots. Now get this... When I made the order I ordered their Signature South 40 bird shooter, which is an upland boot with about every nicety (= fancy cs boot - I should have added ostrich leather accents). To the basic south 40 I only added 2 things - first, made to fit for the insoles I need and second a sole change from the ultralight sole to a little more of a stiff hiking sole (Vibram air bob for anyone who is still reading). Guess what of the two options the boots that I got today were missing? Yep the sole upgrade. So now I have custom fit boots with the standard sole. They are 2 for 2 now - the first round they missed the alteration for insoles, on the second round they missed the soles - both I was charged extra for. You almost can't make this up.

I'm sure when I call tomorrow, they will take care of it. I'm not even really pissed, I'm in a state of disbelief. I'm open to suggestions, comments or taunts.

T
 
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Tell them thank you but you don't need them anymore. You picked up a real cheap pair of Timberlands and they fit great.
 
Tod,

I'd suggest you take your return $$ and get in touch with Gary March. He is the CEO at White's Boots in Spokane. Among other things they make the original Smoke Jumper boots. I have a pair of boots he had made to order for me (Insulated Outdoorsman). Have had them for two seasons now and they are undoubtably the finest boots I have ever owned... and looking at the way they were made (to the options I picked and measurements they required me to send), possibly the last pair I'll ever need.

Gary even hounded me about making sure everything was OK, but from the moment I put them on to start breaking them in, they have been perfect - and I am someone who can rarely find shoes, boots, etc that are comfortable.
 
Tod,

I'd suggest you take your return $$ and get in touch with Gary March. He is the CEO at White's Boots in Spokane. Among other things they make the original Smoke Jumper boots. I have a pair of boots he had made to order for me (Insulated Outdoorsman). Have had them for two seasons now and they are undoubtably the finest boots I have ever owned... and looking at the way they were made (to the options I picked and measurements they required me to send), possibly the last pair I'll ever need.

Gary even hounded me about making sure everything was OK, but from the moment I put them on to start breaking them in, they have been perfect - and I am someone who can rarely find shoes, boots, etc that are comfortable.
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Thanks Bob, I did call Whites and talk to them a couple times. The conclusion that we came to is that they don't make a boot similar to what I was looking for - a light upland style boot. Good to hear that the quality of craftsmanship that one would expect still exists. Aren't many American boot makers out there.

T

T
 
Tell them thank you but you don't need them anymore. You picked up a real cheap pair of Timberlands and they fit great.
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I don't know, I already bought a matching pair of plus fours.

T
 
It might be faster and maybe less painful to have your feet surgurically altered to accept standard boot sizes
 
the title said a rant for your enjoyment...I read "I'm an asshole" which #1 made me laugh, and #2 I knew, so I figured I wasn't going to learn anything new and I already got the jocular value I was hopig for...
 
It might be faster and maybe less painful to have your feet surgurically altered to accept standard boot sizes
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I did read the whole post and found it discouraging that after measuring you at the factory and writing the order it was not done correctly.

After reading above quoted post I could not help but laugh a lot.
 
I always wanted a pair of Russel's. Even filled out the form, fit, the whole deal. Never pulled the trigger. Four years ago, I bought a pair of Danner Sharptails, uninsulted / Gore Tex (sad but true made in China). My feet are flatter than a pancake. They fit and work just fine, as I like to walk far, Ruffed Grouse and Turkey huntin'. Very light and dry boots.
 
Tod, I'm kinda' curious.I know it's not the right sole,but are they comfortable,do they fit?
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I haven't tried them on yet :).
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OK, I tried them on - curiosity got the best of me. They fit exactly like they did last time. One is so tight I coudl hardly get my foot in it without laces in at all - the other fit well, but tight. Interesting, it seems like they made the same boot again with no allowance for the insoles.
 
I always wanted a pair of Russel's. Even filled out the form, fit, the whole deal. Never pulled the trigger. Four years ago, I bought a pair of Danner Sharptails, uninsulted / Gore Tex (sad but true made in China). My feet are flatter than a pancake. They fit and work just fine, as I like to walk far, Ruffed Grouse and Turkey huntin'. Very light and dry boots.
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It isn't too late to order some, the siren song of real American craftsmanship is calling - I know it is :).
 
I was there this summer. After years of name brands boots that never fit, I bit the bullet myself. My boots were to arrive in Oct and I recieved them in Nov. When I tried them on I noticed the footbeds had different pressure points on bottom of each foot. I felt more of an arch in the right foot, and the boots with twopair thick socks were very roomy. I called and they told to wear them for a bit, then decide if I wanted to send them back. After my trip to KS thanksgiving trip I did. I recieved them in mid feb and the KS dirt was stil on them, but they fit much better. With so much snow I haven't been able to wear them much to find out how well the fit, but I don't notice the difference in footbeds and they are tighter fitting. Whats discouraging is my buddy bought a pair off ebay, unkown size and they fit me like a dream. I need to spend a bit more time with these, but if there are any problems I know they will fix it.
 
OK, I'm an asshole, everyone already knows that that so here goes....

You know that it's going to be a good story when it starts like this. But, my all time favorite is "he's a nice guy once you get to know him". Translation - He's a jerkoff, but you'll get used to it.
 
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